Ow, an expression that we all understand, whether we live in North America or Europe, if someone yells out ow, we understand what they are trying to say to us.

If a child bumps his or her knee and utters out ow, or if a construction worker smashes his or her thumb and hollers out ow, we know that they are letting us know they’ve been hurt with just these two letters. Ow is spoken out and the hurt is revealed, but there are other types of hurt that can be buried up deep, and our mouths may not merely utter out ow, in fact, our mouth may not even be aware of the hurt that is lingering in our hearts, in that case, the mouth may utter out complete sentences like, ‘you never do what you say you’re going to do”, or “I really could care less what you do’, or sometimes the heart is at a complete loss of words where deep-rooted hurt is concerned.

If we could utter out the right words for those kinds of hurts as quickly as we utter out ow for superficial ones, then we would rid our hearts of a lot of muck that is holding us down in society.

We must also realize that our hearts cannot be truly pure, and our lives cannot be truly productive, if hurt is allowed to take up residence in our hearts. How shall we utter out these hurts, purify our hearts and live better lives then? We must let God’s Word reveal the hurts hiding out in our hearts, and then release it out of our mouths.

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)

God’s Words have a way of revealing offences or hurts, and then they are pushed out of our hearts by way of our lips and actions, but with right words, not words like, “I don’t care”, that do nothing to solve the problem, but usually just makes things worse, but words and actions that demonstrate our heartfelt forgiveness.

If we allow offenses or hurts to feel at home in our hearts, then we become hurt personified, if we allow God’s love to feel at home in our hearts, then we become love personified.

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for "love will cover a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8 (NKJV)

But whoever keeps His word; truly the love of God is perfected in him. 1 John 2:5 (NKJV)

We may need to forgive others, and sometimes we may need to forgive ourselves. It is a cycle, this thing called forgiveness; and it originates in our hearts and comes flowing out of our mouths, now that is saying ow in a whole new light!